GUNDAM FE: The Fang Strikes
by elven-girl10
Summary: AU.Fire EmblemGundam Crossover. The Black Fang, a powerful military unit from Bern, desires control over the world, and only five youngs lords can save it. Alot better than it sounds. Will get a better summery I promise. Please Read and Review. No Flames.
1. Chapter 1

Elvengirl10: Hello all! Elvengirl10 here with her fourth, yes that's right, fourth Fire Emblem fanfic. Not bad huh?

Sain: She's been working on this one for awhile now. The idea's exitsted since about...February?

Elvengirl: Around there, yeah. I wanted to make my own Gundam series, so this is the result. Basically, the only pre-requisits for this fic are that you have to know what Fire Emblem, and have a basic knowledge of what Gundam is.

Sain: What is GUNDAM?

Elvengirl: It's an anime franchise, that runs kinda like Fire Emblem, where there are many different series, all having nothing to do with each other, (Except if it's a direct sequel or OAV movie) yet are all connected by similarities. In this case, Giant Fighting Robots.

Sain: Cool. And I get to pilot one?

Elvengirl: Yup. It's why I've been planning for a long time. So within this fic you'll see mobile suits from Gundam Seed, Gundam Seed Destiny, and G-Gundam, plus some of my own creations. I hope you all enjoy this. As well, please treat this as a gundam series...and please note that there will be character deaths, but I'm not gonna spoil who.

Sain: I really hope it's not me.

Elvengirl: How could I kill you?

* * *

Disclaimer: I don't own Fire Emblem, Gundam Seed, Gundam Seed Destiny, or G-Gundam.

" 'suki-chan! I'm bored," moaned a young boy from the back of a small jeep. He was about fifteen years of age, with large blue eyes amd unruly black hair. His clothing was simple, blue pants, a black shirt, and a blue jacket. A white baseball cap sat backwards on his head.  
"I'm sorry to here that Omitachi," replied his companion, a young female of nineteen, "but I can't do anything about it. I can't will a gundam fight to start in front of us."  
"Can't we go back to the city? There's always a fight happening there."  
"No. Those fights aren't worth reporting. The real fights always happen out here in the wilderness."  
'suki, or rather Misuke, to use her full name, grinned. The Gundam fight was what she lived for. Every four years, Misuke would drive around Lycia in her small jeep as a freelance reporter, reporting on the Gundam fights as they happened. Misuke loved Gundams. She loved watching them, amazed at how a machine so large could be so nimble. One thing Misuke longed to do was go to the colonies in space and watch the gundams as they were created. Sighing, Misuke looked in the rear-view mirror. A pair of bright green eyes stared back at her. Her hair was cut short and was a light brown. A purple bowl-shaped hat sat on her headm along with a pair of googles. She wore a blue shirt and pants, along with a silver vest and brown boots. Brown biking boots covered her hands. With a yawn she stretched and looked up at the sky.

"I'll admit that this is somewhat boring," she said, bracing herself for a victory speech from Omi. There was none. Misuke turned to look at her companion, who pointed to a small computer screen on the dashboard. The dark green screen presented two yellow dots, representing gundams, about twenty miles away from them. Misuke looked up to see the mechanical giants towering over the trees. She looked at Omi and grinned.  
"Told ya'" she laughed, before accelerating in the direction of the fight, throwing on her googles as she did so.  
"So what models were those?" asked Omi, sliding into the front seat as the small jeep sped along the forest path.  
"I believe it was Neo-Pherea's Shining Gundam, piloted by Eliwood, son of Marquess Elbert, and Neo-Ostia's Bolt Gundam, piloted by Hector, the current "Gundam of Gundams."" Misuke responded.  
"Wow. but aren't Hector and Eliwood best friends?"  
"Yeah. It must be a sparring match. I certainly don't see an offical hanging around."  
"That's true. Hey Misuke, where'd the Gundams go?" asked Omi, looking around.  
"Uh oh...did I go to far?" she asked before looking up, only to see a large metal foot descending down upon them. Misuke threw the jeep into gear, escaping just as the foot came down.

"Nice one," gasped Omi, grabbing his cheast, "You almost got us killed."  
"Sorry. I had no idea we were so close."  
"Hey! Are you alright?" A young man with sandy-blond hair was running up to them. He was tall and thin. His clothing was simple: blue jeans, a white shirt, and a blue jacket with a creast on the shoulder. Misuke blinked. The creast was that of a sword and axe crossed behind a crown. The creast of Neo-Ostia.  
"Yes, we're fine. Just a little rattled, that's all," Misuke replied sheepishly.  
"Oh good. Lord Hector was worried that he'd stepped on you," the man replied, before waving to the now still gundam. "They're okay Lord Hector!"  
"That's good to hear," a voice muttered as a figure lowered himself down from his gundam. Misuke and Omi looked over. Lord Hector of Neo-Ostia was walking toward them. Misuke blushed. For all the times she had reported on his fights and exploits, this was the first time she had come face-to-face with them. She looked at him intently. He was tall and well-built, his muscles apparent through the black spandex fight-suit he wore. His face was set in grim determination. His blue eyes filled with a fire. His short hair, also blue, was a mess.  
"Now who are you?" he asked, "and what were you doing here?"  
"My name is Misuke Hiko, and I'm a free lance reporter. My companion is Omi Takachi. We saw your gundams engaged in combat and decided to investigate. I'm sorry if we inconvienced you somehow."  
"No, it's alright. I was losing anyway. I'm Hector, Gundam fighter of Neo-Ostia."

"It's very nice to meet you," Misuke smiled, "and was your opponent Lord Eliwood of Neo-Pherea?"  
"Impressive. You must be quite the journalist. Yeah, it was Eliwood."  
"So who are you?" Omi asked the man who had first approached them.  
"I'm Matthew, one of the ground crew for the Bolt Gundam. I'm also a mobile suit pilot."  
"For what suit?" Omi's eyes gleamed with curiosity.  
"I can't say. Top secret info, you know," Matthew replied with a laugh and a wink. Hector glared at him.  
"So Hector, who'd you almost step on?" came a voice. Hector turned to watch his friend approach. Misuke gasped. The figure that came around the Bolt Gundam was Lord Eliwood of Neo-Pherea. The gundam fight second only to Hector. His blue eyes smiled, and his short red hair blew in the wind.  
"This is Misuke, a reporter, and her companion Omi. They were just passing through." Hector replied.  
"I see. Nice to meet you Misuke," Eliwood smiled, holding out a hand covered in the red spandex-like material of his battle suit, "I'm Eliwood of Neo-Pherae."  
"The pleasure's all mine," Misuke replied, taking his hand. Eliwood brought it up to his lips, brushing against Misuke's hand slightly. Misuke blushed red. Things like this never happened to her. Omi snickered softly behind her. Misuke glared at him.

"We're sorry for intruding on your sparring match," Misuke smiled, regaining her composure.  
"Wait, how'd you know it was a sparring match?" asked Eliwood.  
"There's no sign on the officials," Omi replied. Misuke nodded in agreement.  
"That's true," Matthew agreed, looking around as if trying to spot one.  
"I guess we'll be off now," Misuke muttered. Being around these lords, as friendly as they were, was makingher rather flustered.  
"Misuke, you are passing up an interview with two of the best Gundam fighters in Lycia. What's wrong with you?" Omi ended the comment by boxing Misuke over the ears.  
"Besides, the next town's no where near here, and you're low on fuel," Matthew stated. Misuke glanced at the fuel gauge. he was right.  
"You can stay with us," Eliwood offered with a smile, "We have plently of food and fuel."  
Omi looked hopefully at Misuke, even resorting to the puppy-dog eyes. Misuke was about to deny the gracious offer, when her stomach growled loudly.  
"Alright," she sighed, "We accept."

* * *

About an hour later, Misuke and Omi sat in a small campfire circle, waiting for dinner to cook. After arriving at Hector and Eliwood's base camp, they had met a few new people.

Along with Matthew, Hector's other companion was Oswin, a knight of Neo-Ostia and self-appointed bodyguard of Hector. Oswin had a stern face but his smile came easily. It was clear that Oswin had faced combat many times in the past. Misuke shivered. Oswin smiled and placed his jacket around her shoulders. It was the same as Matthew's, only several sizes larger. She looked at him. Oswin wore the same blue pants, but had a black t-shirt instead. His boots were brown and worn.

"Won't you be cold, Oswin-san?" Misuke asked.

"Nah, I'll be fine," Oswin laughed.

"But you might catch a cold," warned one of Eliwood's companions.

"I'll be okay Lowen," Oswin sighed, annoyed. Misuke tried to smother a laugh. Lowen was a knight of Neo-Pherea and was clearly new to the job. Lowen's bangs were very long and covered his eyes quite well. His clothing consisted of a red jacket and red pants, with a white t-shirt underneath. Lowen caught on to Misuke's expression and blushed.

"Lowen, pay attention!" barked Marcus. Lowen jumped. Marcus was an older man and head of the Knights of Neo-Pherae. His face was always stern, permanently creased with a frown. His beard and hair were gray. Unlike his charge, Eliwood, Marcus wore more conservative clothing. Red dress pants and a white dress shirt worked for him. Misuke wondered how those clothes lasted, with the occupation he was in.

Misuke sighed and looked up at the Gundams. The setting sun caused shadows, accenting some parts and shadowing others. Misuke studied the Bolt Gundam. Most of the armour was black, except for the non-gaurded parts, which were grey. Misuke took one last look before glancing at Hector, who was currently yelling at Matthew for some reason. She stared at Hector's body, noticing similarities between it and the Bolt Gundam. 'That must be why he's so good,' she thought, before turning to examine the Shining Gundam. The remaining sunlight reflected off the white armour, gleaming off the yellow antennea, turning them to gold. The blue chest was shadowed to navy in the light of the fading sun. The Shining Gundam was less bulky than the Bolt Gundam, clearly built for speed as opposed to power. 'The Shining Gundam's very similar to Lord Eliwood. That's interesting how the Gundam emulate their pilots, or vice versa'.

"Misuke, you still there?" asked Omi. Misuke blinked and shook her head.

"Yeah. Sorry, guess I zoned out." Misuke gave a nervous laugh.

"Well, you zoned out long enough," Lowen grinned, "Dinner's ready."

* * *

"Hey Misuke, what are you looking at?" asked Hector, later that evening. It was dark now and the moon was high. The stars twinkled brightly.

"I'm just looking at the stars, Lord Hector," Misuke replied, "I usually do before I go to bed."

"I see," Hector sat down beside her and looked skyward, "They're very different to see in space."

"They are? But stars are so far away. Wouldn't they still look like little dots?"

"Yes and no. There aren't any close by, but they're everywhere, not just in the sky. If the sky even exists in space," Hector laughed. Misuke smiled.

"My friend, Yuuto, who lived in the same village as Omi and I, said that stars provide hope, because even when a star dies, we get their light."

"That's very true. Look, there's a shooting star. Make a wish."

Misuke smiled and nodded. She liked the thought that a lord, such as Hector, believed that old wive's tale. They were silent for a few more minutes.

"I'm going to go to bed now. Goodnight, Lord Hector," Misuke nodded, getting up and heading to her and Omi's sleeping area.

"Goodnight, Misuke," Hector replied.

* * *

The next morning came quickly. Misuke awoke to Omi yelling at Matthew as to how to fill their jeep with fuel.

"How could you not have done this before?" Omi sighed.

"Everything in space is either solar powered or eletric. You don't need fuel!" Matthew replied, equally as frustrated.

"Let me do it," Oswin muttered, barging in and proceeding to fill up the jeep. Omi and Matthew glared at him. Oswin just shook his head. Misuke smiled and went to go get breakfast.

"Quite the exchange," Lowen remarked, handing Misuke a plateful of sausages.

"Indeed," Misuke replied, "So, where are you off to next?"

"We're heading back to Ostia," replied Hector, coming into the kitchen-area, "My brother needs me for something."

"I see."

"How about you, Misuke?" asked Lowen, fixing a plate for Hector.

"I don't know. We usually just drive around looking for Gundam fights," Misuke shrugged.

"Well, if you stick with us, I could probably get you an interview with my brother," Hector offered.

"That's right. Uther of Neo-Ostia's practically a legend," Misuke blushed at Hector's indignant look. She had really put her foot in her mouth there. "I'd also like an interview with you, Lord Hector," she added quickly, hoping to remedy the situation. "It'd be really interesting to get two different perspectives."

"Alright, but we'll have to do it later. Hey, Marcus, we just about ready?"

"Yes, Lord Hector," Marcus replied.

"What are they doing?" asked Misuke, quizzically.

"Loading the Gundams onto transporters. I don't wanna be using the Bolt all day, plus it cuts the Gundam's power supply. The transporters also recharge the gundams and we can fix them on the go to."

"That's amazing," Misuke said with wide-eyes. Omi was going to have to get better at his hacking skills. She hadn't even heard of this technology. It only fueled her desire to the colonies even more. Misuke walked over to the transporters, which resembled two flatbet trucks, only much larger. Both the Bolt and Shining gundams stood on top of one, the feet locked into metal grooves in the floor. Wires were also attached to the legs to aid in the recharging process.

"Nice contraption?" smiled Eliwood, appearing beside her. Misuke nodded.

"I'll have to take a closer look sometime," she said.

"Feel free. My father helped to design it. It's used by gundam fighters everywhere." Eliwood looked up at the transporter proudly.

"Really, that's amazing. But then...Lord Elbert was more a scientist than a fighter." Misuke paused, "What's wrong Lord Eliwood? Did I say something stupid?"

"No. It's just that...my father went missing six months ago..."

"Oh...I'm sorry to hear that." Misuke looked away uncomfertably. She really needed to start thinking before she acted.

"It's alright, but should you, as a journalist, come across any information..."

"...You'll be the first to know."

* * *

"So Matthew, why are you riding with us?" asked Omi from the front seat of the jeep as they drove along, heading for Ostia, the current capital of Lycia. Behind them drove the two transporters.

"Well, our transporter only holds two people up front. Oswin drives, and then there's Lord Hector. And Neo-Pherae's filled to."

"So where do you usually go?"

"In the back most times...but since you lovely people are here..." Matthew grinned.

"Gundams?" Misuke gasped, glancing at the radar. She looked up. Indeed, two gundams stood before them, blocking the road. Misuke stopped suddenly, almost causing a three-car, two-gundam pile-up.

"Blast it Misuke! What was that?" came Hector's irate voice.

"In front of you, my lord," Misuke replied. Hector looked. In front of him were two gundams. One looked like something out of an old TV-show, the other somewhat like an old samurai.

"It's Neo-Caelin's Nobel Gundam, piloted by the Lady Lyndis, and Neo-Araphen's Rising Gundam, piloted by a Limstella Saigou," Misuke informed the two lords.

"And something tells me they won't let us go without a fight," Eliwood sighed.

* * *

Elvengirl: So, what did you all think? I'm not really sure what updates will be like with this fic, so let's just say they'll come when they do. Chapter two is really long, like twelve to fourteen pages in my notebook, so it'll take me awhile to type up. Plus I gotta start writing chapter three...and then there's all my other fics, and my busy life...So yeah, until next time.

Sain: Please, Read and review. Let Elvengirl know what you think? Good? Okay? Could be better? How to improve? No flames though, constructive criticism'd be nice though.


	2. Chapter 2

Elvengirl: I am back!

Sain: Amazing.

Elvengirl: Sorry this took so long. I got really busy right before the holidays. But today I finally sat down and said I'm not moving till I finish this chapter, which was originally supposed to be much longer, but I cut that in half. Just to make a few things clear: The Neo- prefix refers to a colony in space, again think G-Gundam. The Gundam SEED/Destiny stuff will become blatently obivious soon. Enjoy the chapter.

* * *

"You are the gundam fighters of Neo-Ostia and Neo-Pherae, are you not?" came a clear voice from the Nobel Gundam.

"So what if we are?" Hector retorted through a microphone.

"I am Lyndis of Neo-Caelin, and I challenge you, Hector of Neo-Ostia, to a gundam fight!"

"Eliwood, there's no way out of this. I've been formally challenged," Hector looked down at the communicator screen, sighing irritably. A small smile played on Eliwood's lips.

"So have I. While not as vocal as Lady Lyndis, Neo-Araphen's Gundam fighter has some spirit. Guess this'll be two-on-two. huh?"

"Yeah. Oswin, get Bolt ready. I'm heading out."

* * *

"Misuke-san, I'd advise you to move behind the transporters. It would be more safer for you." Marcus radioed the small jeep.

"I will. Thank you Marcus-san." Misuke turned the jeep around and drove until they were slightly behind Neo-Pherea's transporter. She angeled the jeep to get a clear view of the combat area. She then proceeded to set up a small video camers, while Omi hooked it up to the computer.

"I understand that you're going to record the fight, but why are you using a computer?" asked Matthew.

"The computer displays the stats and such," Misuke smiled, "It's the way that we find out the units, what they're armed with, the odds, and so on."

"Very cool," Matthew nodded. "I also assume that some of that involves hacking?" His eyes glowed with curiosity and admiration.

"How perceptive. And now you're wondering how we got our hands on this junk," Omi grinned.

"So you're the hacker...and yes, I am curious."

"My best friend Nagi gave it to us as a going away gift when we left."

"Nice. You'll have to introduce me."

"If you want to follow us home after the fight," Misuke laughed, starting the camera. The Gundam fight was about to begin.

* * *

Hector activated the Bolt Gundam and strode out to the battlefield. He faced the Nobel Gundam, sighing. It had been Hector's plan to reach Ostia without much delay. Now he was faced with another obsticle. Shaking his head to focus himself, Hector studied the Nobel Gundam. It lacked armor. That was the first thing he noticed. 'So it's built for speed,' he thought, 'Trying out a new strategy are they?'

The Nobel Gundam was this, and gave off a very female air. It looked like it wore a blue skirt and a white shirt with a red bow. There was yellow, metallic, hair flowing down the back.

While Hector analysied the Nobel Gundam, Eliwood did the same for the Rising Gundam. It stood tall, the sun reflecting off its read torso and white armour. Eliwood smiled, eager for the challenge. Neo-Araphen had lost early in the last gundam fight, so he hadn't had the chance to engage them in combat.

"Lord Hector, Lord Eliwood, the officials are readay," said Lowen, "Good luck to you both."

"Thanks Lowen. Ready Hector?"

"Ready Eliwood."

"Gundam fight ready...go!"

* * *

"So, who d'you think's gonna win?" asked Matthew, watching the four gundams charge each other.

"Well, if we look at the Bolt versus Nobel fight, all statistics point to the Bolt gundam as the winner. But I wouldn't cut the Nobel gundam out yet. This is a speed against power battle," Misuke concluded, never taking her eyes off the fight.

"I'd say that the Shining versus Rising fight's pretty much equal, stats or not," Omi smiled.

"You guys are amazing," Matthew laughed as he shook his head.

* * *

"Blast!" muttered Hector, blocking a kick from the Nobel gundam. The battle had just started and already he was on the defensive. He held his hands up in a defensive block, causing his forearms to take the vicious kicking attack.

"I can't take much more of this," he spat, grabbing the Nobel gundam's ankle, throwing it to the ground. Hector used this time to summon the Bolt gundams Graviton Hammer, a large metal ball on a laser whip. The Nobel gundam rolled away as the metallic ball came down, leaving a small crator where some trees once stood. The Nobel gundam got up and began to run, in a hopes to confuse her opponent. Hector smirked, aiming for what was clearly an after image. At the last second, he snapped back around, slamming the hammer into the Nobel Gundam, badly damaging the right side.

"Not bad," Hector grinned. The Nobel gundam stood up, sparks flying from the now broken right arm.

"I haven't lost yet!" yelled Lyndis.

"But you will soon!" Hector knew this victory was his, "Gaia Crusher!" The Bolt Gundam slammed its fist into the ground, sending a shockwave towards the Nobel gundam. The Nobel Gundam leapt up, pulling out a metal rod, which ignited into a red ribbon. It encircled the right arm of the Bolt Gundam and pulled tight. There was a standstill.

"What are you going to do now?" Lyn asked.

"Blast," Hector yelled. The tables had been turned in a matter of minutes. In desperation, Hector activated the Graviton Hammer, attempting to further ruin the Nobel Gundam's right side. Possibly remove the head section as well and knock Neo-Caelin out of the tournament. This was cleary expected, as the Nobel Gundam leapt over the attack, using the hammer as a propulsion to land a kick squarely in the chest of the Bolt Gundam. Hector gasped, the wind knocked out of him. There was no time to recover. Another kick came to the cheek, nearly removing the Bolt Gundam's head. The Bolt Gundam fell.

"I...I lost?" Hector lay inside his gundam, confused. Finally recovering and climbing out, he watched the pilot lower herself. "Damn...where'd she get all the strength? She's about as skinny as Eliwood. I wonder how he's doing?" Hector looked over at the other fight. It to, was coming to a close.

* * *

Eliwood gasped for air. The fight had been going on for about thirty minutes and already he was exhausted. He couldn't recall the last time he'd had such and equal battle. Yet, in each blow that was exchanged, Eliwood felt a note of desperation from the Rising Gundam's pilot. It was the same desperation he fought with. The longing to see his father again. What, then, was this fighter searching for? What longing drove them?

"Why are you fighting?" Eliwood asked, when his breath returned. A new curiosity begged him to ask.

"Why shoud it matter/" came the reply, clearly a female, if somewhat monotone voice, "My reasons are my own!"

The Rising Gundam charged, activating its beam bow. The Shining Gundam dove to one side, avoiding the beam arrows and retaliating with a shining shot. With the Rising Gundam momentarily blinded, Eliwood charged for a final attack.

"Shining Finger!" he yelled, grabbing the head section of the Rising Gundam. The right hand of the Shinining gundam had turned a bright gold, sending enormous heatwaves through the Rising Gundam. In a few minutes the head section would be destroyed, the Rising Gundam disqualified.

"I...I give. You win," came a weak voice from the Rising Gundam.

"You forfiet?" Eliwood asked.

"Yes. I've already contacted the officials."

Eliwood let go. The Rising gundam fell, and rose no longer.

* * *

"Intense," Matthew grinned, nodding.

"Indeed," Omi agreed, stopping the video camera.

"This is going to be one great article," Misuke grinned, wider than Matthew. She rubbed her hands together eagerly, "I just need to interview the fighters."

"I'd suggest starting with Lord Eliwood, as Lord Hector may be in a bad mood," Matthew advised.

"Good call," Misuke agreed. Started up the jeep and drove towards the fallen Rising gundam.

"That was an awesome battle, Lord Eliwood," Omi smiled as they pulled up.

"Thank you, Omi," Eliwood smiled back.

"Is the pilot alright?" asked Misuke, looking towards the Rising Gundam with concern.

"She should be," Eliwood replied, "She forfieted before the attack got to severe. I'll just go check." Eliwood climbed onto the Gundam and walked towards the cockpit. It was open and the pilot was climbing out.

"Here, let me help you," Eliwood said, running the last few steps.

"No, it's alright. I'm fine," the pilot gasped in response, pulling herself out of the cockpit.

"That was a good fght you put up," Eliwood smiled, reaching out his hand, "I'm impressed."

"Thanks, but why were you asking me those questions on the battlefield?" She brushed away his hand and stood up herself.

"Because, I fight with the same desperation. Are you looking for someone? Limstella, right?"

"Yes, I am. Who are you looking for then?" Limstella asked, making eye contact for the first time. Eliwood was surprised. Limstella's eyes were an intense gold, gazing into his with ferocity emphisized by her black hair and pale skin. All of this was accented by the black fight suit she wore.

"Oh...I'm looking for my father. He dissappeared about six months ago. Have you seen him?" Eliwood held up a worn picture of an older man. He looked similar to Eliwood, except that he had a moustache and older, careworn eyes. Limstella took the picture and studied it.

"No, I'm sorry. I haven't seen him at all," she replied, handing the picture back.

"It's alright. Who are you searching for?"

"My brother, but he dissappeared a long time ago, after the last gundam fight."

"So, about four years ago?"

Limstella nodded and looked away. Eliwood looked down. It was clear that this matter upset Limstella.

"Can I offer assistance? We have food and maitenence."

"That would be greatly appreciated. Neo-Caelin's ground crew aren't the most reliable."

"Neo-Araphen's still having finacial problems then?"

"Yes. Affording a proper ground crew is difficult."

"I see, well then, come with me. Oh yeah, a young reporter is travelling with us, so I hope you don't mind if she asks you for an interview."

"Not at all. It's rare that something like that occurs." Limstella's eyes lit up but she did not smile.

"Hey Matthew! Could you radio Marcus and tell him to aid with the Rising Gundam?"

"Sure thing, Lord Eliwood!"

"You do have your own transporter, right?"

"Of course." Limstella slid off the gundam, landing softly on the ground below. Misuke ran up to her, smiling like a madman.

"Hi, I'm Misuke, a freelance reporter. Think I could interview you later? You're Limstella, pilot of Neo-Araphen's Rising Gundam, right?"

"Y-yes. Yes I am." Limstella was a little unnerved by Misuke's abrutness. Eliwood grinned. He was about to say, "I told you so," but a loud curse ripped from the forest nearby, cutting him off.

"Hector's match didn't go to well?" He glanced at Misuke and Omi for clarification. Omi shook his head, watching as Hector stomped onto the road, muttering angrily to himself. He was accompanied by a young woman and two young men.

"Lady Lyndis of Neo-Caelin?" asked Eliwood with a nod. Lyn nodded back.

"Yes, and you are Lord Eliwood of Neo-Pherae, correct?"

"Indeed. Who are your companions?"

"These are my bodygaurds, Kent and Sain..."

"Oh, I have never seen a fairer beauty!" The one named Sain ran up to Misuke and grabbed her hands. Misuke took a step back, her face bright red. She gazed into a pair of brown eyes, alight with joy. His short, messy, brown hair was tied back with a green bandana. He wore black jeans, a white shirt and green jacket. His smile was unnerving.

"I am known as Sain, and what, pray tell, is your name, fair angel?"

"Um...I'm Misuke..." Misuke squeaked, her former abrutness gone. She let go of Sain and backed up behind Limstella.

"Oh, she even has the voice of an angel," Sain crooned.

"That's enough Sain," sighed the other knight, boxing Sain over the years. He introduced himself as Kent. Though younger than his companion, Kent clearly had much more wisdom, His hair was also cut short and was a red-orange colour. Right now, his brown eyes were filled with annoyance. He was dressed similar to Sain, though with a red jacket.

"I apologize," Lyn smiled sheepishly, coming over to Misuke and Limstella, "he's a bit of a womanizer, Sain is."

"So I noticed," Misuke smiled, making eye contact with Lyn. Her eyes were green, same with her hair, which was long, and tied back in a pony-tail. Her fightsuit was green, showing a well-toned body.

"Well, who wants supper?" asked Matthew, looking around. Everyone stared at him oddly. Eliwood broke the silence.

"Sounds like a good idea."

"But we have to get back to Ostia," Hector complained.l

"After supper. We'll drive through the night."

"Fine."

* * *

Dinner was small, as they had to divide their depleting rations amoung twelve people. Luckily, it was enough that everyone could still enjoy their meals. Misuke was able to interview the four gundam pilots, and set off promptly after dinner to write the article. Omi and Matthew had become fast friends, and Omi was aiding Matthew in the repair of the Rising Gundam. Lowen talked freely with Kent and Sain. Eliwood was discussing politics of the gundam fight with Lyn while Marcus and Oswin argued over the shortest route to Ostia. Limstella sat alone, gazing at the stars.

"How is the article coming, Misuke?" Hector asked, coming over. Misuke jumped.

"Oh...fine, Lord Hector," she blushed. Hector smiled back. He wore his normal clothes now. A black t-shirt, blue jeans, and a blue jean jacket.

"That's good to hear." He took at seat beside her.

"Are we really going to try for Ostia?" asked Misuke, saiving her files and turning off her laptop.

"Yeah. I wanna get there as soon as possible."

"Why are you in such a rush?"

"Well my brother's there..."

"I see..." Misuke nodded.

"Not really," Hector sighed, "Y'see, my brother hasn't been in the best of health lately so I wanna check up on him, but I just know he'll rag on me for losing."

"Now I see. I can relate," Misuke smiled.

"How so?"

"Back home, in the village I grew up in, I was the only girl. So the boys in my village are like my brothers, older, younger, and the same age. My older ones are really protective of me."

"I can see why," Hector smiled, putting his arm around her shoulder. Misuke blushed, but at the same time leaned on him.

"Lord Hector! Oswin says we're ready to go!" Matthew yelled, his voice cutting the silence.

"Alright," Hector sounded annoyed, "Misuke, you wanna hitch a ride on one of the transporters? It's still a couple hours till Ostia."

"Sure. That'd be great."

"Hey Hector!" This time Eliwood's voice rang through the night.

"Now what?"

"Is it alright if Lyn and Limstella join us?"

"Yeah sure, whatever." Hector turned back to Misuke, "Guess you can ride on the Bolt Gundam Transport."

"Thanks, but I think I'll join Omi on the Rising Gundam Transport. Good night, Lord Hector."

"There's no need for formalities," sighed Hector, getting out of the jeep, "Hector is just fine. Good night Misuke."

* * *

Dawn came quickly the next day, not that Omi had slept well. Despite the size of the transporters, it still suffered from the bumps on the road. Omi sat up and looked at his watch. It was about five thirty and sunlight was just starting to peak through the heavy clouds. Omi sighed. He wondered how far away they were from Ostia.

"Omi-kun, you're awake?" Misuke looked up at her young companion.

"Oh...yeah. Good morning, Misuke." Omi looked down at Misuke, who lay in the driver's seat of the jeep.

"Lovely morning," Misuke yawned, sitting up. Omi nodded in agreement.

"'suki-chan, how far away are we from Ostia?"

"Let's see," Misuke turned on the scanner.

"We should be there in about ten minutes or so."

"That's great!"

"What the hellare you two doing up so early?" asked Matthew, sleepily. He had stayed out with them.

"Why not, Matt? It's a lovely morning. Besides, we're ten minutes away from Ostia." Misuke answered his question with a grin. Matthew yawned, rubbing his eyes.

"I see, so we're almost there. You guys have been to Ostia, right?" He asked, sitting up.

"Yeah." Omi gave an annoyed snort.

"Not a morning person, Omi?"

"Omi-kun just didn't sleep well is all."

Matthew nodded, climbing into the jeep. Omi slid into the front seat, and attempted to use his remaining ten minutes to catch up on sleep. Misuke debated on wethere or not to turn on some music. deciding not to so that Omi could sleep.

* * *

Elvengirl: I hope you all enjoyed that, and I'll try to be more prompt on the update next time. 


	3. Chapter 3

**Elvengirl:** And after a very long delay, chapter 3, perhaps the longest bloody chapter in this fic has been completed. Yay me! Sorry this took so long. Alot's happened, including a trip to China, but more about that in the next chapter of Rurouni Karel, which will be updated soon.

* * *

All was quiet when they at last drove into Ostia. The city was just begining to wake up. A few shops, such as a bakery, were open, but no one was really up and about yet.

"So, where are we headed?" Misuke asked Matthew in a quiet voice. Omi had fallen back asleep, and Misuke had no desire to wake him up. She figured a conversation would prevent Matthew from having the same thoughts.

"I would expect the hanger, to store the Gundams while we're not using them. Then probably to the palace, to speak to Lord Uther."

"I see. I hope Hector remembers his promise. It's not everyday that a low-profile journalist like me gets an interview with a legend like Uther." Misuke rubbed her hands together with glee. Matthew grinned at Misuke's early morning enthusiasm.

They fell silent as the four transports rolled into the hanger. Misuke was in awe. She had never seen so many mobile suits.

"Omi, wake up! You have got to see this!" Misuke said, giving Omi a shake. Omi stirred, then his eyes sprang open.

"Wow...look Misuke. GINNs, DINNs, ZAKUs, Strike Daggers."

"Those are just the mass-produced guys. The real gundams are over there." Matthew pointed at a newer building that looked like a research facility, "That stuff's top secret though."

Omi snapped his fingers in frustration. Misuke patted him on the shoulder.

"Misuke, you can come down now," came Oswin's voice from the radio.

"Alright. Thanks Oswin." Misuke started up the jeep and drove it down to where Hector and the other gundam fighters were waiting.

"Hey. How did you guys sleep?" asked Eliwood.

"Terribly," Omi moaned. This time, Matthew patted him on the shoulder.

"We're on our wat to the palace. You can follow us," Hector grinned, "And it's within walking distance." Again Omi moaned.

"C'mon Omitachi, a walk'll be good for you." Misuke laughed. Omi muttered something incomprehensible, then scrambled out of the jeep.

* * *

The city was starting to regain its life as the large group wandered the streets towards the palace. They stopped at the front gates for a security check. As she waited in line, Misuke could not believe the sheer size of the Ostain palace. She had driven past the massive building many times, but this was the first time she had ever stood in front of it. It was made of stone, and was mostly sqare shaped. While it was not a great beauty, it was still imposing. They passed through the gates to enter a well kept courtyard. Misuke and Omi, being unused to such a palce, could not stop looking around, and more than once ran into their companions.

As they neared the from door, another group was just leaving. Hector stopped, watching them oddly. It was a group of three, two males and one female, all clearly not gundam fighters. The leader was dressed in all black, including his hair and the mask he wore. The mask covered half his face, so that only his mouth was visible. The overwhelming black accented the paleness of his white skin. He wore his haitr long, and tied back in a loose ponytail. The other male was slightly smaller, but of greater build than the other. He to, wore black. His head was wrapped in a black scarf, though hair the colour of dried blood poked through the top. He wore a cold expression on his tanned face, his black eyes like ice.

Despite the somberness of her companions, the female was more flamboyant, her deep blue dress revealing a sensual body. Her blue hair was cut short and her eyes gazed ahead drawing everything into them. Sain almost got a nosebleed when she passed.

Hector shivered as the other group passed them and left. There was something not right about those people, but what?

"Are you alright, Lord Hector?" asked Misuke, giving Hector a confused look.

"I'm fine," Hector replied with a shake of his head, "It's nothing. And what did I say about the formalities, Misuke. Stop using them, it makes me feel old."

"Hector's gotta girlfriend, Hector's gotta girlfriend" Matthew giggled in a singsong voice, earning him a blow on the head, Misuke just blushed and looked away.

"Is everything alright with you, Limstella?" Lyn asked.

"I'm alright," Limstella replied, somewhat distantly. Was that him? she thought to herself. She turned to get another look, but the other group was already gone. Shaking her head, she ran to catch up to the others.

* * *

"Who was that, Lord Ephidel?" asked the woman in a soft voice.

"I believe that that was Lord Hector, younger brother to Lord Uther and the current "Gundam of Gundams"" the one called Ephidel responded, turning to face the woman with a smile.

"Who were the others then?" the woman asked.

"Lord Eliwood of Neo-Pherae, Lady Lyndis of Neo-Caelin, Limstella Saigou of Neo-Araphen, their subordinates and two unknowns," replied the other man in a deep, unemotional voice.

"Thank you Jaffar. Does that answer your question, Ursula?"

"Indeed it does. So what do we do now, Lord Ephidel? Lord Uther was not exactly complacent with our demands."

"The answer is simple, Ursula. We will attack at dawn. Linus and Lloyd will lead a frontal assault, while you will attack from the back. Jaffar, you'll invade the factory and hanger district and capture those new mobile suits."

"I understand," Jaffar replied with a nod. Ursula sighed, amazed at how her masked leader could come up with such a plan at such short notice. She wished she knew what Ephidel was thinking.

"Remember you two, we attack at dawn, so get some rest. If you lose on the battlefield, the law of the fang will strike swift and hard."

"Yes sir!" Both Jaffar and Ursula saluted. The three continued onto their destination. 'Limstella Saigou...why does that name seem so familer?" Ephidel asked himself, then shrugged, 'No matter, by tomorrow, it'll be nothing but a memory.'

* * *

"Hey Big Brother. I'm back!" Hector yelled, barging into Uther's office without waiting for the Steward to announce him.

"It's about time," Uther grumbled, looking up at his younger brother.

"Sorry, kinda got a bit sidetracked. Gundam fights and the like. What's up?"

"This." Uther handed a sheet of paper to Hector.

"Lord Uther, it's been far to long," smiled Eliwood, coming in.

"Well met Eliwood. How goes the search for your father?"

"Well...I haven't had a solid lead yet, though I think I may be close to something."

"That's good to hear. If you need to, some of my spys may be of use to you."

"Thank you very much."

"They want out complete and total surrender? Who the hell are these people?" Hector exclaimed. Eliwood blinked while Uther's face turned grim.

"They are the Black Fang. A mercenary force based out of Bern. They were originally a league of assassins but now they have enough power to control the entire country. It appears they've set their lofty goals on world domination."

"But why attack Lycia first?" asked Hector, still grappling with the idea.

"Isnt' it obvious? We're preoccupied with the Gundam fight," Eliwood replied, shaking his head in disbelief. "So, that group that we saw leaving was part of the Black Fang then?"

"Most likely. A masked man was with them?"

"Yes...I didn't like the looks of him, or any of them for that matter," said Hector.

"And you shouldn't. The masked man was Ephidel, a ruthless yet brilliant general. He's apparently the second in command. The other two were Jaffar and Ursula, two of the Four Fangs, the Black Fang's top mobile suit pilots."

"How do you know all this?" asked Eliwood.

"We've had a spy in the Black Fang for a few years now. She's been reporting back to us regualrly."

"Lelia, then?" Hector smirked.

"Yes. Now, you guys need some rest, especially if you drove through the night. I have a feeling that the Black Fang won't take my response lying down."

"You refused?"

"Yes. Give me a reason not to."

"I was just making sure that you were in your right mind."

"I'm ill in body, not mind Hector. Now go."

"Seesh, I'm going." Hector turned to go after Eliwood, then stopped and turned around.

"What is it now, Hector?" Uther grumbled.

"Think you could do an interview?"

"With who?"

"A journalist I met on the way here. Her name is Misuke."

"Alright," Uther sighed. Hector grinned.

* * *

"I can't believe we're staying in Castle Ostia!" Omi exclaimed, flopping down on a large bed in one of the many guest rooms.

"I can't can't believe that I got to meet Lord Uther. He is such an amazing guy. Although he never piloted the Bolt Gundam, he was in the Dragon Gundam, he did oversee it's production, with help from Lord Elbert, Eliwood's father. It's to bad that he and Hector lost their parents at such a young age." Misuke responded, typing happily on her laptop.

"Yeah. Are you almost done with that article?"

"You want to research those new MS's don't you?"

"How'd you guess?"

"Y'know, this isn't the best place for the leet hacker Omi to make an appearence. Security's pretty tight."

"Meh...I just won't get caught."

Shaking her head, Misuke saved her documents and surrendered her laptop to Omi. Omi gleefully accepted the laptop, laying it on his lap and cracking his knuckles.

"Just don't kill my laptop," Misuke warned him. Omi nodded. Like he would.

"Hey guys! They're testing the new mobile suits. Wanna come?" Matthew barged into the room excitedly. Omi looked up, all thoughts of hacking instantly vanishing from his mind. Misuke shook her head. Matthew looked at his two friends, confused.

"Don't bother asking," Misuke giggled, dragging Matthew out the door.

"C'mon guys! Hurry up!" Omi yelled from the end of the hallway.

* * *

"So, this is the latest MS," Misuke whistled, as she, Matthew, and Omi joined Hector and the others at the observation platform of the factory.

"Yup. the ZGMF - X565 Impulse," Matthew said proudly, as if he'd been the one to build it.

"It's been working well in the simulator, but we lack a pilot," Hector muttered. Omi looked at Misuke. Misuke nodded back.

"I could try, Lord Hector," Omi offered, "I haven't had to much piloting expierience, but I know enough to make it move."

"I don't know. It's pretty top secret."

"And you've kinda let us in on it," Misuke stated, "So, it technically can't be considered a secret anymore."

"Point taken. Alright. C'mon Omi." Hector still didn't look to well with the idea, plus the devilish light that was apparent in Omi's eyes didn't seem to reassure him. "Eliwood, show Misuke and the others the rest of the new MS. Might as well let them in on the whole secret."

"Good luck Omi. Don't destroy anything," Misuke grinned, then followed Eliwood to the lower floors.

"Omi is pretty lucky. Being the lastest MS, the Impulse is probably the one that's most heavily under wraps," Eliwood mentioned, "It probably hasn't seen to many pilots yet. The OS is pretty complex."

"Omi can probably figure it out, he's pretty smart. But I don't mind," Misuke replied, looking around happily.

"Hey, Misuke! Come over here!" Lyn waved from across the floor.

"Hi Lady Lyndis, Limstella," Misuke smiled, running over to them.

"I'm like Hector, no need for formalities, and you can just call me Lyn." Lyn grinned. Limstella mearly nodded.

"So, Eliwood, feel like giving us a tour?" Misuke asked.

"Well, alright. That first one is the Z24A Wolf Biel, beside it is the Z23A Rapier, and over there's the Z25A Manni Katti. Finally, there's the X105 Strike. They look alot cooler when the phase shift's activated though," Eliwood grinned.

"Manni Katti? So it's named after the sword from the Old Sacea legend?" Lyn inquired.

"That's right. You're originally from Sacae, aren't you Lyn?" Limstella spoke for the first time. Lyn nodded.

"Yeah. The Manni Katti was a sword that was protected by spirits and could only be drawn by its rightful owner. People still travel to its shrine to pray for good luck before a journey."

"Looks like there are some traditions that even outdate St. Elimine's teachings. That's amazing," Eliwood nodded, "So, Limstella, which gundam model do you like?"

"Well, I'm interested in the Strike."

"Nice. That model's interesting because it's got three seperate modes. The Aile Striker, Sword Striker and Launcher Striker," Eliwood explained. Limstella nodded approvingly. Her eyes glowed with intrest.

"How about you, Eliwood," Lyn asked.

"I've always had my eye on the Rapier. My father said he had me in mind when he designed it."

"Your father helped design these things?"

"Yeah he did. Did anyone see where Misuke went?"

The three pilots looked around, finding Misuke staring up at a large, blue, mobile suit. It looked somewhat like a four-legged animal with two large cannons on top.

"A TMF/A - 802 BuCUE. I've always wanted to pliot one," Misuke said, staring up in awe at the machine. She was clearly in heaven. Eliwood sighed. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all.

The rest of the day was spent in simulations and training. Omi was becoming quite adept at the Impulse's control system, but clearly still had a long way to go. This was proven by the near destruction of a hanger full of GINNs. Misuke also got her wish, and was able to pilot a BuCUE. That lead to the near collision of the BuCUE and the Impulse. There was a hope that they would never have to enter combat.

Supper was simple, and they all went to bed early. Omi especially so he could practice with the Impulse. None had any knowledge to the coming threat.

* * *

Limstella woke with a start, breathing hard. She shook her head. It had been a long time since she had dreamed that dream. The one of her past, where she and her brother lost their parents. It was a vivid dream, the flames of their burning home almost seeming real. Then, a few years later, when they had finally made a home in Araphen, her brother had gone missing, leaving Limstella alone. Why now? Why now did these memories come back to haunt her? She glanced at the clock. Five minutes past midnight. Limstella was about to get out of bed to splash some water on her face when the ground shook. She ran to the window and gasped. Ostia was in flames.

"Limstella, are you alright?" came Eliwood's voice from the hallway.

"Yes. I'm fine. What's going on?" Dressing quickly, she ran out into the hallway.

"We're under attack. C'mon we gotta get to our gundams and help out."

Limstella nodded. She and Eliwood took off down the hallway, meeting up with Hector and Lyn along the way. Misuke, Omi, Kent and Sain were waiting for them in the front hall. They ran out into the burning city, desperate to the get to the factory.

"Lord hectro, there's a report here from Marcus. The enemy's attacking in a pincer movement. The factory's also under attack! Apparently the hanger containing the gundams for the gundam fight is almost destroyed." Kent announced, his voice strained and out of breath.

"Blast. What about the new MS?"

"Being defended until the last man, sir."

"And what of my brother? Has he made it out safely?"

"There's been no word."

"Alright then. Here's what we need to do. The new mobile suits need to be protected at all costs, and the best way to prevent them from being captured, is to pilot them ourselves. After that, we'll fight our way out of this, to Neo-Ostia if we have to."

Everyone nodded. Omi gulpped and looked at Misuke nervously. Misuke placed a comferting hand on her shoulder. That didn't help Omi much as she was shaking to.

"You'll be fine, Omi. Lord Hector, shouldn't we also be attacking the attackers?"

"How so?" There was no time to chide her.

"Well...the enemy seems to be attacking with strike daggers, so it probably means we're dealing with an army. We should be attacking the MS that stand out, they're probably the leaders."

"Good call."

They ran into the research facility. Oswin, Marcus, Lowen and Matthew were waiting for them.

"Lord Hector, everyone. Thank the gods, you're alright," Lowen breathed.

"Stuff it Lowen, what's the situation?"

"It's the Black Fang. At first we thought there were only three Gundam class MS, but a fourth just appeared out of nowhere."

"The fourth one has to have a cloaking device," Misuke muttered, "Do you know anything about the MS that are attacking?"

"Unfortunetly, no," Matthew replied.

"And we've had no time to find out," Lowen added.

"Well, we know we're up against four gundams, so it would make sense that we split up and fight each of them individually with our gundams. The rest of us can take care of the grunt MS. Eliwood, can Omi stick with you?"

"Sure. However, Misuke, have you been trained as a tactician?"

"Sort of. It's a long story. I'll explain after the fight."

* * *

"Everything's battle ready, right?" asked Hector, as he turned on the gundam.

"Should be," the technition replied, "It worked fine in the simulation this morning."

"Good." Hector activated the phase shift armour. The gundam stood up, its colour changing from grey to blue. It was shaped much like Bolt Gundam, with thick heavy armour. A large shield sat on its left arm, bearing the creast of Ostia, the sword and lance crossed behind.

"Hector, Z24A- Wolf Beil moving out."

Behind the Wolf Beil rose the Z23A-Rapier, piloted by Eliwood. The Rapier looked somewhat like the Strike. Red armour glowed along the sides of the white body amd along the cheast. Gold trim gave the gundam a heroic look. Its left arm also bore a shield.

The Z25A- Manni Katti was next to rise. Though it was based off the Shining gundam, it was built for high speed and manuverability. Light reflected off the white streaks, illuminating the dark blue armour.

Bringing up the rear was Limstella in the ZGMF-X105 Strike. The red, white, and blue gundam was equipped in the sword striker mode. A light blue shield sat on the left arm and an equally large beam sword sat, waiting to be activated, on its back.

Slowly, the four iron giants made their way to the battlefield, burning Ostia. Outside the ruined factory, Misuke, Omi, and the others waited for them. Omi sat nervously in the ZGMF-X56 Impulse. He was the only available pilot, the offical ones were being trained in Neo-Ostia. Similar to the Strike in both appearence and modes, the Impulse was equipped as the Sword Impulse. The torso and shoulders were red, the rest white. Two large beam swords lay ready on its back. Misuke sat in her BuCUE. The animal-shaped mobile suit looked meancing in the dark. Matthew awaited orders in the X207- Blitz, but could hardly be seen due to the black colour of the gundam. From what could be seen, one could tell that it was not heavily armed, and was more used for stealth. Oswin headed over to Hector in a TMF/S-2 GINN OCHER, a standard mass produced mobile suit coloured various shades of brown. The two of them were going to protect the castle, and hopefully locate Lord Uther. Eliwood and Omi headed towards the main part of the city, followed by Lowen in his TFA-02 ZuOOT. Lowen did his best to prevent the orange, tank-like Gundam from destroying anything. Since he was moving so slowly, he was nearly run down by Lyn. Flanking her on either side were Kent and Sain. Kent on her right in an AMF-101 DINN, a purple flying-type mobile suit. Sain on her left in a ZGMF-600 GuAIZ, a green, upgrade of a ZAKU. Both flew low to the ground, in order to protect their lady at a moment's notice.

"Lady Lyndis...be careful in this battle," said Kent.

"I will, Kent. You be careful as well," Lyn replied.

"Sorry to interupt you two lovebirds but we're approaching the enemy," Sain smiled.

Limstella and Misuke looked at each other and went to find the final mobile suit.

"Lord Hector, I've detected the enemy mobile suits straight ahead," said Oswin.

"I'm aware of that Oswin. Thanks," Hector replied. 'A pincer movement,' he thought, 'an old strategy.'

"Alright...looks like there's one gundam class here. I'll take that one on. Oswin, take the Strike Daggers and keep an eye open for my brother."

"Right." Oswin activated his smoke dispensers and in the confusion stuck out his his heavy axe. Hector nodded approvingly and faced the gundam. It looked similar to the Nobel gundam, that was the first thing he noticed. However, it seemed to have a better defense. Navy Blue armour helped it to blend into the darkness and the gold trim reflected the flames that danced around them.

"So, the little lord has come to play," came a low voice.

"Indeed I have," Hector retorted, "And you're it!" He activated his beam axr and charged, only to be repelled by a blue shield. Hector barely blocked the other gundam's beam sword. Their fight was on.

* * *

Two gundams faced Eliwood and Lyn. Looking almost the opposite of each other, they stood realy in anticipation. One with white and blue was clearly built for speed. The other was black and red, built for power.

Eliwood and Lyn looked at each other and nodded. Lowen activated the smoke dischargers on his ZuOOT, as Sain and Kent took to the air, removing the Strike Daggers one by one. They were careful not to hit Omi or Lowen, who were striking in the confusion.

"So, you expected that?" asked Eliwood as he was repelled by two beam swords from the white gundam.

"Indeed, who wouldn't?" laughed his opponent, "But you are facing Lloyd the White Wolf, so it is difficult to pull a fast one."

"And Linus the Mad Dog as well," shouted the pilot of the black gundam, firing a blast at Lyn, who evaded lightly and charged for an attack. She activated the beam sword on her arm and tried to stab in desperation. She was repelled by missles shot from the gundam. Lyn grimaced. The way things were going, the battle seemed endless.

* * *

"Where d'you suppose the gundam is?" asked Misuke, taking out several more strike daggers.

"Its not showing up on the map," Limstella replied, "That must be because of the cloaking device you mentioned."

"Misuke, look out!" yelled Matthew, shielding the BuCUE and firing his piercer lock in response to the shot.

"Thanks Matthew," Misuke replied. She fired her dual railgun towards a group of the attacking strike daggers. She blinked. Part of her shot had been defected. "Limstella, I think I've found the gundam," Misuke yelled, then winced as the BuCUE rattled violently. Her BuCUE had been hit by something. She looked up and gasped. The gundam stood towering before her and it the darkness it was death incarnate. Black wings spread out behind a black body. The red streaks that ran down the body resembled blood. It held a beam scythe high above its head, preparing to swing down and sever Misuke's BuCUE in two. The attack came. Limstella blocked it, her anti-ship blade activated.

"Misuke. Leave now," said Limstella, forcing the black gundam back. Misuke nodded, and got out of the BuCUE. Attempting to continue fighting would be suicidal. Matthew invited her into the cockpit of the Blitz, as no other shelters were readily available. Together they watched the battle, Matthew ready to help at a moment's notice.

It began as a standstill, until the black gundam broke away and began another attack. Again Limstella blocked, this time attempting her own attack.

"Who's gonna win?" Matthew asked, trusting Misuke's intuition.

"It's difficult to tell," Misuke replied, "Though I doubt that either is using their full strength."

* * *

"How interesting," Ephidel mused from a nearby landship, "These lords are quite adept. They're holding back the Four Fangs rather nicely, for a first time. Though I wonder how they'd do without the handicap of gravity. Orson, have the Providence prepared. I'm going out."

"Yes sir," Orson replied.

Ten minutes later, a grey gundam sped towards the battlefield. It landed near the factory where the black gundam and Limstella were fighting. Ephidel smirked and casually took aim at the Blitz, which still stood off to the side. He fired.

"Incoming heat source? Matthew, move!" Misuke yelled. Matthew barely evaded the blast.

"Where the hell did that come from?"

"Him," Misuke replied, pointing at the grey gundam that was now entering the battle. It was large, and quite bulky, with various pods hanging about its waist. More pods fanned around it on the back. It carried a large black beam gun, the one that no doubt fired the blast, in its right hand and held a shield on its left.

"What...what kind of gundam is that?"

"Lemme see," Misuke pushed Matthew out of the way and began running a scan throug the gundam's computer. "You're quite the spy, Matthew," Misuke commented, "Ah, here we go. ZGMF-X13A Providence...oh wow..the thing's loaded with DRAGOON pods."

"Well, at least the gravity's rendered them pretty much useless."

"True, bonus for us. There's not to much more info here, other than the pilot being the second-in-command of the Black Fang. A man by the name of Ephidel."

"Lord Ephidel, what are you doing here?" asked the pilot of the black gundam.

"Now, now, Jaffar. I couldn't let you have all the fun," Ephidel replied. Limstella froze. That voice sounded familier to her, but from where?

"Besides, it looked as though you could use some help."

"I'm fine. I don't know about Ursula though."

"At any rate, our work here is done. Please inform the others of our retreat."

"Yes sir."

"Now then, time to deal with you," Ephidel mused, as if this was a simple task, like taking out the grabage. He turned to face the Strike, who stood ready, sword drawn and ignited. Ephidel raised his beam rifle. He realised that the Strike would have the upper hand in this battle, but it bothered him little. He was about to fire and then froze. He stared at the Strike through his mask, his face sliding into a frown.

Limstella watched the unmoving Providence. She could barely focus. The voice of the Providence's pilot ran through her head. It sounded so familier. It sounded just like her brother. Thoughts swam through her head. Should she say something? Reveal herself? Was it even him?

Ephidel sniffed in irritation. What was preventing him from attacking this gundam. He, who could slaughter armies without batting an eyelash. Why did he hesitate. Finally, after a long pause, Ephidel put down his rifle, his will to fight gone. The remainder of the Four Fangs arrived shortly, the lords in pursuit.

"Lord Ephidel, why have you ordered us to stop fighting and retreat?" came Linus's annoyed voice over the communicator.

"I'm sorry to interrupt your playtime, Linus, but I believe that we've gotten out message across. Ostia has fallen. Have the troops remain here until the reinforcements arrive to secure the area."

Linus made an annoyed growl before turning to leave.

"Hey! Wait!" yelled Hector, firing his machine gun, which Ephidel blocked deftly, "You're just gonna run like that?"

"For now, little lordling," Ephidel replied smoothly, "But you might as well face the fact that you've lost. The mighty Ostia has fallen."

Hector growled. Ephidel gave a dark laugh before firing his beam rifle to deflect an attack from Eliwood.

"There's no doubt in my mind that you want revenge, so therefore, I'll be waiting for you in space. There you will see the Providence's true power." Ephidel's final laugh rang through the air long after he had left.

"He's laid down a challenge, Hector," said Lyn.

"Do we answer it?" asked Omi.

"You bet the hell we do," Hector replied, his face set in grim determination.

* * *

hope that was enjoyable. Please Read and Review thanks 


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